Language of Flowers
by SaltedLily
Summary: A hundred and eight roses means “will you marry me?”. A striped carnation means “no”. An ExT about subtlety and the problems thereof.
1. The word SUITOR springs to mind

**Language of Flowers **

**A hundred and eight roses means "will you marry me?". A striped carnation means "no". An ExT about subtlety and the problems thereof.**

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**Chapter One—The word "suitor" springs to mind **

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It starts, one morning, with a flower. It's a lily, a stargazer lily. Edged in white, then pink, then deepening to a thin line of red in the centre of each petal. She smiles because it's beautiful and she loves lilies. But then, she loves all flowers. She knows each and every one of them as if they're personal friends, which –given her childhood of empty mansions and solitude— perhaps they are.

She's beautiful and she's kind, and so she often gets flowers in the morning. Left there by a shy sweet admirer. In courtship. It's mostly bouquets of plum blossoms though, accompanied by variations on the theme "they reminded me of you" and something about springtime. She keeps them, because it would be hurtful not to, but she hates watching them wither away in her room. She hates the way they seem so simple, so out of place, in her mother's elaborate glass vases. And sometimes, she wishes she reminded them of something else. Not of springtime or something equally meaningless and vapid. But of mad, drunk, heady passion. Or of delicacy and innocence and maidenhood. Of _anything_ other than exactly what she is. Of anything that shows they actually _know_ her, that they pay attention, that their caring goes beyond a trip to the florist. She wishes that she reminded just one person of _love_.

So she smiles again at the solitary lily—the stargazer lily—and presses it gently in between the pages of her math textbook. She wants to preserve this, because she knows what it means, and she hopes her admirer does too.

_I see heaven in your eyes._

--

"Tomoyo-chan! Tomoyo-chaaaaan!"

The girl blinked and focused, only to find Sakura's hand swishing madly in front of her face.

"Are you alright, Tomoyo-chan? I've been trying to get your attention for the last, like, five minutes!"

"Oh, yeah, sure, I'm fine. Sorry, what were you saying, Sakura-chan?"

"Only that it's exciting that we're all graduating from high school this year. And that we need ideas for our grad trip."

"Mother says we should go to Hong Kong," volunteered Syaoran, frowning at the very idea.

Eriol smirked. "And I see you're thrilled at the prospect of spending your grad trip with your family. Mother, sisters and, especially, our dear cousin Meiling."

Syaoran glared. "You know I'm _not _looking forward to that at all."

"Yes, my dear little descendant. I'm aware. This is what we call _sarcasm_. Say it with me: _saaar-caaas-mmm._"

"Oh, shut up. I so knew that. As a matter of fact--"

"I was thinking of Italy," interrupted Sakura, anxious to avoid a scene. "We could do Rome, then up to Tuscany. Y'know, Florence, Pisa, the Mediterranean."

"That sounds lovely," said Eriol. His eyes flipped back to the girl who was staring out of the window. "What do you think, Tomoyo-san?"

Tomoyo looked up again. "Hmm?" she said, distractedly.

"Of Italy?" he prompted.

"Italy?" she repeated, blankly.

"For our year's graduation trip?"

"Oh, yes, Italy. Graduation trip. Right." Tomoyo smiled, nodded, and went back to smiling dreamily out the window.

There was a deeply embarrassing pause.

"Well?" asked Sakura, with just a tiny amount of frustration.

Tomoyo looked up again. "What?" she asked, innocently.

"Well, what do you think?"

"Of what?"

Sakura buried her head in her arms. "I give up!" she exclaimed in a muffled voice.

"Tomoyo-san?" asked Eriol, gently. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes. I'm sorry… I was just… thinking," she murmured.

Eriol frowned.

"Are you thinking about that flower in your math book?" asked Syaoran, suddenly. Eriol positively glared at him, and the Chinese boy nearly flinched at the look. "Er… just wondering…" he added lamely.

"What flower?" asked Sakura, noting Tomoyo's suddenly guilty look.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing."

But Sakura was not so easily deterred. "Syaoran-kun, what flower?"

Syaoran grinned sheepishly, as he procured the textbook. Tomoyo resisted the urge to snatch away from him.

"Sorry," he said. "You left it in Janata-sensei's class and she asked me to bring it to you."

Tomoyo blushed and took the book from him. "It's not important. Don't worry about it," she repeated softly.

"Tomoyo-san?" Eriol's voice was curiously affected. "What flower?"

She shook her head, eyes averted and dreamy. "It's nothing. Someone left me a flower on top of my locker today…"

"But Tomoyo-chan, you have flowers almost every day!" protested Sakura. "Why did you—"

"No, Sakura-chan. Just one flower. A lily." She opened her book to the place where the little pink thing was neatly preserved. "It was beautiful and I… really wanted to keep it."

Carefully, Tomoyo turned her face so that she could watch Eriol's reaction out of the corner of her eyes. She had to admit that her first thought was that he might've—

But no. His face held only mild curiosity. No recognition, no smugness, no sign at all that this sweet gesture might come from him.

She sighed, and closed the book gently. "It's not important," she said, once again. "It just made me think of something."

"Stargazer lily," Eriol managed to say. "It means…" he cleared his throat. "'I see heaven in your eyes'."

"You know?" asked Tomoyo, surprised. "Yes… I suppose you would."

Sakura squealed happily. "Oh, Tomoyo-chan, that's so _cute_. How adorable! Do you know who it was? Was there a note?"

"No. No note. No idea."

--

"A flower! A _fucking_ flower!"

"Eriol-sama, please, that must be the eighth time this minute that you've repeated that," Spinel Sun covered his eyes with one blue plushie paw. "_What _is the matter?"

Eriol groaned and slumped down in an armchair, one hand clenching and unclenching compulsively. "_That's_ what she was thinking about. _That's_ what had her staring into space, looking like a lovesick teenager."

"Maybe she—"

"And don't say that she might actually _be_ a lovesick teenager, because Tomoyo never acts like that!"

"So—"

"I was _worried_," said Eriol, suddenly. "I was really worried. I thought she might be… hurt…?"

"But she's okay. Why are you still freaking out?"

"I… I… oh, shut _up_!"

--

It continues with a flower. Even if it does not come from _him_, she still loves it. It has been a while since anyone's known her this well.

It's a beautiful sprig of white-pink gladioli, and she smiles widely as she tucks it beside its predecessor in a book of heavy cream-coloured art paper that she bought expressly for this purpose. It comes with a note, this time. Addressed to _'Il mio bella'_. _My beautiful one. _And the paper glides like water over her fingers as she unfolds it.

'_Please,' _it reads, in bold dashing script, _'Just give me a chance.'_

Her eyes soften. He knows. Of course he knows. It's refreshing, really… and it answers an unspoken wish. Italian today, and yesterday, Italy— the grad trip— Eriol? She wonders; she thought she was sure. A hint, surely? Or a coincidence? She traces one finger gently down the gladioli.  
_  
I am sincere._

--

For three days more, she will get flowers.

For three days more, she will be greeted by this sweetly meaningful, carefully thought out gift.

For three days more, she will be dreamy and misty-eyed. And Sakura will giggle and ask her about her latest.

For three days more, she will blush and explain in soft, delighted tones.

…purple lilac. _you are my first love._ how charming that he can admit that…

…yellow zinnia. _daily remembrance_. and a sense of humour too…

…butterfly orchid. _you are always on my mind_. and from someone who cares for her. that's the most important thing…

For three days more, he will bite back his jealousy as she gushes about this unknown giver. Though she doesn't really gush. She's actually very discreet about it. Why then, does it seem as if he wants to lash out every morning, when he hears that muted gasp of recognition and sees that wide, happy smile? The smile that isn't meant for him.

For three days more, he will choke down the urge to growl every time one of their classmates whispers about how Daidouji-san's in love with her secret admirer.

Then…

On the day of the orchid, when they all come back from lunch, she sees a note pinned to her locker. It's that same raw silk paper, the same script. It is the first time she has ever received something during the day, and as she cradles the still-sealed note in her palm, she whispers to Sakura, Syaoran and Eriol that she has only now realized how deliciously close her mystery wooer must be. That she is only now wondering whether she can put a name and a face to the image she's built in her imagination. For the rest of the day, he sees her eyes darting to their male classmates, assessing whether it might be them, appraising their romantic capacity. He notices that there are only two males that her eyes skip over, Syaoran—her best friend's beloved—and himself.

And this hurts him so _very_ much.

It is the end of the day before he has a chance to talk to her again. He asks her what was in the note, and she starts in surprise.

"Oh, Eriol-kun!" she trills, in that musical voice of hers. "You know, I haven't even opened it yet. I was just so preoccupied…" She pulls the note out of her backpack, and slits it open gently.

He waits, apprehensive, as her eyes dance over the contents.

"He wants to reveal himself…" she breathes, reverently. "He wants me to meet him after school…"

"Right now?" he says, without thinking, and nearly kicks himself at the way her eyes widen.

"Oh! Oh, gosh! You're right. He wants to meet me _right now_! Eriol-kun, if you hadn't said— to think that I might have missed this meeting and then _never_ known."

Her hands flutter nervously. "Do I look okay? I haven't got time to—" she twirls for him, and he gulps.

"You look bea—fine, Tomoyo-san. Just lovely."

But she's already hurrying down the hall. And _away_ from him.

-

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Notes—

For the record: the _story_ is an ExT. The _chapter_… may not be.


	2. Flattery will get you everywhere and vic...

**Language of Flowers **

**A hundred and eight roses means "will you marry me?". A striped carnation means "no". An ExT about subtlety and the problems thereof.**

**--**

**Chapter Two—Flattery will get you everywhere… and vice versa **

**--**

"Who was it?" demanded Sakura, hands on hips, as she towered over Tomoyo's desk.

"Well, good morning to you too, Sakura-chan," breezed Tomoyo, looking up and grinning.

"_Tomoyo_," she warned, darkly. Well, as darkly as it was possible for Sakura to, in any case. "If you don't tell me, this very instant, who your secret admirer is, so help me god…"

Eriol, who was sitting behind Tomoyo as per usual, leaned in closer as her mouth opened.

It happened gut-wrenchingly fast.

The classroom door slid open, and three heads snapped up to see the newcomer. Kioshi Raiden, a classmate of theirs, walked in. Sakura and Eriol nodded to him, and then turned back to Tomoyo.

But _she_… her eyes were bright and shining, her lips curved in a soft smile, and she was absolutely crimson.

"Kioshi-san," greeted Sakura, politely, as the boy approached them. He was just an acquaintance, another guy in their class.

"Good morning," he said. "Kinomoto-san, Hiirgizawa-san." He didn't look at them, his eyes were focused elsewhere. "Tomoyo-koi."

Sakura and Eriol gasped… and did a repeat performance when Tomoyo responded;

"Good morning, Rai-chan."

--

"_What the hell_?"

Sakura winced, and shushed Syaoran quickly. "Ne, don't be so _loud_, they might hear us!"

"Who the hell is 'Kioshi-san'?" he asked, quieter but still irritated.

"Syao-chan, honestly, do you listen? Kioshi-san from our homeroom, my chemistry class, your math and history classes, Eriol-kun's English class, and Tomoyo-chan's literature, biology and chemistry. Oh, and Tomoyo-chan and Eriol-kun's music class. Don't make me say it again."

"'Kioshi-san'…" muttered Syaoran, glancing over at the pair. "Where have I heard that—oh!"

"What?"

"You don't mean Kioshi _Raiden_? Raiden-san is a defensive midfielder on the soccer team! I didn't know Kioshi was his last name."

"_What_! Syao-chaaan, you have to tell me everything you know about him."

"Um… okay…" He blinked, and leaned over to whisper to Sakura. "Oi. Why is Eriol-baka all mopey today?"

"I can _hear_ you," came Eriol's voice, muffled, since he had his head buried in his arms. "And I am _not_ 'mopey'. I just don't feel well."

Sakura ignored him. "Oh, he's just sulking because are Kioshi-san and Tomoyo-chan over there being all cute when he loves Tomoyo-chan."

Eriol's head snapped up, and his face turned scarlet. "I am _not_!"

"Okay," conceded Sakura. "You're not sulking, you're glowering and glaring and acting like your heart has been ripped out and fed to Kero."

"I am no—I mean, there's nothing to be—which is—I don't— wait, _Kero_?"

Sakura shrugged. "He'll eat anything."

"Eriol-baka," interjected Syaoran. "You have no one but yourself to blame. If you had just _told_ Tomoyo-san how you feel, you wouldn't have to watch her fawn over Raiden-san like that."

Eriol mimicked holding a phone up to his ear. "Hello, pot? This is kettle. You're black."

Syaoran looked offended. "What's that supposed to—"

"Not like she returns my feelings anyway. If she did, she wouldn't be over there, in the private little clearing in the forest, giggling with that idiot Kioshi-kun."

--

Tomoyo and Raiden were not giggling. They were, in fact, not talking at all. Tomoyo shifted awkwardly, as the silence became uncomfortable.

"Um…" she said. "Thank you… again, for the flowers."

He smiled. "I'm glad you liked them. They… they… well, they didn't _remind_ me of you as such, it was more sort of like they represented emotions I wanted to express to you."

She nodded solemnly. "Yes, I got that."

"I knew you would. That's one of the things I really like about you, Tomoyo-koi."

"Er… thank you, uh, Rai-chan."

"I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go on a date? Tomorrow maybe?"

"It's a Saturday right?… yes, I'd like that."

"Sure. I gotta run, I have a soccer game. But I'll see you tomorrow at, say, four-ish?"

She blinked. Wasn't that a bit early? But she shrugged it off and smiled. "Sounds good."

Rai got to his feet, then turned back to Tomoyo. "_Actually_…" he said. "Would you like to come watch me in the soccer game?"

"Um, actually I've got homework that I—" She trailed off at Rai's crestfallen look. '_Daidouji Tomoyo',_ she scolded herself, '_if you're going to date Raiden, you're going to have to make the effort to notice as many good things about him as you do about Eriol!'_ "Actually, Rai-chan, I'd be delighted to watch your soccer game."

And that was how she found herself sitting on the bleachers beside Eriol, alternately cheering Rai, Syaoran and Sakura's cheerleading squad.

"Oh, did you see that move? Rai-chan is so _talented_! Of course, Syaoran-kun is extremely good too. He's definitely better at scoring and running and dribbling, but I think Rai-chan is better at drop kicks, ne? Isn't he adorable? Rai-chan, I mean. Do you like him, Eriol-kun? I think he's so _sweet_. He was so romantic when he revealed himself yesterday. I think he must have got music playing in the background, 'cause I'm sure I heard music. Ne, Eriol-kun? Do you think that we'd make a good couple… if we, when we, you know, go _out_?"

Tomoyo applauded enthusiastically as Rai booted the ball into the air, then turned to Eriol. He was hunched over, glaring at something in the middle distance. She tapped him gently.

"Ne… you okay, Eriol-kun?"

Eriol-_kun_. Rai-_chan_. He grimaced. "Sure."

"You don't seem happy. We're winning 5-2, you know." She offered him a tentative smile, but he didn't see it.

He shrugged. "I'm fine. What could _possibly_ be wrong with me?"

"That's what I'm asking."

"Well, I'm fine."

"Eriol-kun," Tomoyo said, patiently. She patted his shoulder gently. "You're obviously _not_ 'fine'. We've been best friends for six years. Have some faith in my perception."

Eriol leaned back against the bleacher and shut his eyes. "It's… it's…"

Suddenly, Tomoyo recognized that expression. Eyes closed tightly, brow wrinkled, pained grimace. That was a face she'd seen often in their junior high days, after Kaho had left him. She gulped, wondering when breathing had become so painful. His lovesick face.

"Oh, Eriol-kun…" she breathed, and he opened his eyes to look at her. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry."

His eyes glazed for a long second. Tomoyo drew a deep breath, trying to replenish the air that had been sucked out of her lungs.

When he focused on her again, his voice was very bland. "What are you sorry for, Tomoyo-san?"

She gestured vaguely. "For prattling on about Rai-chan, when you're obviously… upset about… something to do with Mizuki-sensei." Oh god, oh god, that _name_.

Eriol looked at her blankly. "What?"

Tomoyo turned away. It was always Kaho. _'I don't care,'_ she told herself firmly. _'I don't care that he's still in love with her after five years. I don't care that he's never looked twice at me. I don't care that all I've ever been is his best friend. I'm over that. I have Raiden—Rai-chan. I have Rai-_chan_. And the best I can do for Eriol is just be his friend.' _

"I'm so sorry, Eriol-kun!" she gushed. "I wasn't paying attention, and I didn't realize, and I'm so sorry. You should've stopped me."

He slumped down. "It's fine. Not your fault."

"Stop saying it's _fine_! It's NOT fine. If there's just one thing in the whole world that it _isn't_, it's fine. What _happened_?"

He shook his head. "Tomoyo-san," he professed, voice choked. "You're right. I should tell you, before it's—"

"TOMOYO-KOI!"

Her head snapped up, a guilty flush on her face. _'Tomoyo-baka!' _she admonished. _'You should NOT be coveting Eriol. Especially not NOW.'_

Eriol watched bleakly.

"Rai-chan!" she called back.

"Did you see that shot?"

She hadn't. "I did! It was wonderful, Rai-chan."

He beamed. She beamed back.

"—too late."

Eriol slid off the bleacher and walked away.

--

"It's Saturday morning."

Spinel looked up at his master, across the breakfast table at Reed Manor, and exchanged a look with Nakuru.

"Yes," he said, finally.

"Way to state the obvious," laughed Nakuru.

"Tomoyo and I usually go out for brunch on Saturdays."

"Yes," repeated Spinel, nonplussed.

"But now she's going out with Kioshi-baka."

"Eriol-sama!" protested Nakuru. "That's Syaoran-sama's name for _you_!"

He glowered. "Kioshi-baka deserves it more."

The guardians blinked. "Sure."

"I don't see what the problem is," said Nakuru. "I mean, you and Tomoyo-sama weren't going to brunch as a _date_ before. That doesn't change now."

He sighed. "I know, but—"

"Call her," advised Spinel.

Eriol shook his head firmly. "No, I can't! I won't! Absolutely not."

Nakuru was dialing before he finished the sentence. "Moshi, moshi Tomoyo-sama!" she greeted, excitedly. "Eriol-sama is being a stupidhead—"

"I am not!" spluttered Eriol, indignantly, hearing Tomoyo's giggles on the other end of the line.

"—so I decided to call you and ask you where you two are going for brunch today!"

Eriol slumped down in his seat, half annoyed, half relieved. At least Nakuru hadn't said that he had been agonizing all morning over whether she'd still want to go with him. "Lemme talk to her!" he whined.

Nakuru passed him the phone with a triumphant flourish.

"Tomoyo-san?"

"Ohayo, Eriol-kun. I know it's tradition for us to eat at _Seychelles_, but I was wondering if we could go to _Inamorata _instead? It's the one near the mall."

"Sure, Tomoyo-san." He was glad he didn't sound as deliriously happy as he felt. She hadn't even been considering not meeting him today! "Any particular reason?"

"I have to go shopping afterwards," she said.

"Alright. Do you want me to come with you?"

"I don't want to be a bother… but if you want to, that would be fantastic."

"Of course, anything for my dear Tomoyo-san."

She paused for a fraction of a second. "Right. Good. Okay. I really need a male opinion on this, anyway."

Suddenly, he felt the lead dropping into the pit of his stomach. "What are you shopping _for_?"

"A dress. For my date with Rai-chan."

And the bitterness rose to the back of his throat. "Oh."

"Eriol-kun? Are you okay? You're not still mad about yesterday?"

"Mad? I'm not mad. I'm just…" _'unbelievably fucking jealous' _"…preoccupied."

"Oh, that's good. I was afraid you were angry with me when you disappeared yesterday."

"No! I'm not angry with you at all, Tomoyo-san. Something just occurred to me, and I had to leave."

"Yeah? What was that?"

"Don't worry about it. It's really all taken care of." _'Hah, right.'_

"Oh, okay. See you later."

--

Tomoyo rifled anxiously through her closet. White, white, purple, red, pink, pink, red… _'Oh, for the love of--- don't I have _anything_ blue?'_

Not that it mattered, of course. Because she certainly wasn't determined to wear something in Eriol's favourite colour—in the colour he'd always maintained looked best on her. Because she obviously was _not_ trying to impress him or dazzle him or distract him from thoughts of Kaho.

She gritted her teeth. Kaho. The beautiful redheaded teacher and Eriol had been vaguely something of an item for a while. He'd maintained that nothing serious had ever gone on, but she wasn't _blind_. Mizuki-sensei, she noted sourly, always did have something for Junior High boys—first Touya, then Eriol. Mizuki-sensei had never seemed to realize that while the boys were the same age, _she_ was getting older… and the whole situation was getting increasingly creepy.

Tomoyo shook her head, shocked at her own unkindness and _not_ sorry in the least.

Then, abruptly and without warning, Kaho had left him and moved back to England. For months, Eriol had been despondent, depressed… and had _that_ look on his face. She had spent a lot of time with him over those months, and though he had never spoken of Kaho, she sometimes caught him gazing at her, Tomoyo, with a look of such frustrated despair. As if he was looking for something he could never have.

She hated that more than anything. That every time he had looked at her, she knew he was wishing that Kaho was beside him instead.

She loved him, nevertheless. But it seemed that no matter how hard she wished, he never returned her feelings. Six years of being nothing but his best friend, of unrequited love, were beginning to weigh heavily on her… Perhaps that was why she had been so eager to get into a relationship with her secret admirer, with Raiden. So that, just once, she could be the object of affection. If not of _love_ then at least of _like_.

'_Aha! Blue silk shirt! Now to find blue jeans…'_

Because she wasn't obsessing over the fact that she was in love with Eriol. No. Clearly not.

--

"Ne, Tomoyo-san?" said Eriol, when they were seated and had ordered their food.

"Hai, Eriol-kun?"

"What happened exactly… when you and Kioshi-san met for the first time?"

Tomoyo sighed happily. Not the right guy, sure, but she could appreciate how sweetly romantic the scene had been.

"I went up to the roof," she began, "like he had said in his note. It was strung with hundreds of fairy lights. Really beautiful…" Purposely leaving out the fact that it had been broad daylight and so the lights had been fairly pointless. "… there might've been music playing in the background, though I think I imagined that. Hmm… it was pop music, now that I think of it, so it must have actually been playing—I'd have imagined something classier. Then Rai-chan stepped out and presented me with one single red rose. You know what that means; 'love at first sight'."

She looked at Eriol out of the corner of her eye, and could swear she saw him grimace.

"He gave me a long speech on how much he liked me and…" she trailed off. _'And he told me that he knew I really liked someone else, but he was okay with that and just wanted a chance to know me better.' _"Well, anyway, doesn't matter. We just agreed that we'd be seeing each other and that we'd be using the informal honorifics."

Eriol nodded. "Ah. Yes, 'Tomoyo-koi' and 'Rai-chan'."

She shrugged, wondering why she wasn't blushing at all. "Yes, well…"

"And you return his feelings, of course? You like him?" his tone was perfectly bland, and she frowned. He may as well been asking how many scones she wanted.

"Ye-es…mostly" muttered Tomoyo, realizing that as much as she hated telling him that, lying hadn't even occurred to her.

"Mostly?" asked Eriol, raising an eyebrow.

Tomoyo glared. "Well, I barely know him!" she protested. "I just learnt his first name yesterday! I like him, but I can hardly say whether I return his feelings."

He tilted his head. "Yet you're willing to go out with him."

"I don't see why I shouldn't give him a chance." She began to tick off his attributes on her fingers, just because she knew how much it annoyed Eriol when she acted gushy and lovelorn. "He's really really sweet, handsome, kind, pretty intelligent, a good soccer player, romantic—"

"Oh, alright! I get the idea!" he huffed. "But you don't _like_ like him yet?"

She winked at him. "Give it a week."

Eriol's hands fisted involuntarily, and he shoved them into his pockets, scowling.

--

Brunch had gone well… after they'd stopped talking about Raiden. But then, it always did. Eriol and Tomoyo's Saturday brunch tradition had started in the eighth grade, when they'd used the time to plot ways to get Sakura and Syaoran together. Although that little endeavour had succeeded within months, the tradition had just never faded. It had quickly become their favourite time of the week, though neither particularly wanted to admit that.

The shopping that followed, however, had _not_ gone so well, since Eriol seemed to be in a particularly contrary mood.

…

White sparkly dress.

"Eriol-kun, what do you think?"

"We-ell…"

"What? What is it? You can tell me; I won't be upset!" She was going to regret those words later.

'_White makes your legs look longer, and **he** is **not** allowed to see that!' _"It's a little short…"

"Do you think so?"

"Oh yes!"

"Our school skirts are shorter though!" she protested. "It goes to my knees."

"Too short," he repeated firmly. "Practically screams 'I'm easy: come and get me'."

"Seriously? Alright, I'll go change then."

…

He didn't think of it as sabotage, really. That was too strong a word. Think of it more as… like… damage control. Yeah. Or, y'know, creative protection. Exactly. His way of protecting her, y'know, virtue. Yes, it was the fifth store in two hours and yes, they were both on the cusp of their sanity, but it wasn't _his_ fault that Tomoyo looked sinfully smashing in _everything_ she wore.

…

Yellow sundress.

"How about this one?"

'_Brings out the golden tones of your complexion.' _"Too bright."

"But Sakura wears this colour all the time! In fact, _I _wear this colour all the time."

'…_and it makes your eyes look really limpid and luminescent.' _"Tomoyo-san, I'm afraid it's garish."

"Too bad. I thought it looked sweet."

…

Green spaghetti strap.

"This one?"

'_Makes you look like a rain goddess.' _"Not your colour. Clashes with your hair."

"Oh… okay…"

…

Pink formfitting mini-skirt.

"Please let this be the one."

'_Holy hell, those **curves**!' _"Too tight."

"Tight…? But is that a bad thing?"

"Too tight," he repeated emphatically.

"O…kay…"

…

Black sleeveless.

'_Hubba, hubba, hubba…'_

"Eriol-kun, are you okay?"

'…_oh my GOD…'_

"Hey, say something!"

'_Oh, yeah, was I supposed to— Oh, fuck, she's **twirling**.' _Mute, vehement shaking of head.

"That bad, huh? Right. I'll go change."

'_Hey, wait, come back! I wasn't done ogling!'_

…

Red corset-style.

'_Fuck, fuck, fuck! One girl can't be **that** sexy!' _

"Well? How is it?"

'_Shit, say something! Say **anything**. She wears that dress tonight and Kioshi will be **all over **her.'_

"You look incredible!" he blurted out.

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

A pause, then enthusiastic nodding. "Yeah! Just like Kaho-san!"

She glowered and spun around, slamming the change room door behind her. He winced.

--

Tomoyo fumed silently. Three hours, twenty-eight dresses, and the one positive comment he could come up with was "you look incredible… just like Kaho!". That _idiot_.

She stomped out of the dressing room, muttering mild expletives under her breath. Eriol greeted her with a sheepish smile.

"Shall we move to the next store?" he asked, offering her his arm. She pointedly ignored it.

"If you're _so_ sure you know what suits me, _you_ pick a dress," she snapped.

Eriol flinched inwardly. Oh, to tell her that he would rather gnaw off his own arm than entertain thoughts of her looking that maddeningly, unthinkably, celestially _gorgeous _for anyone _else_.

"How about that one?" he volunteered instead.

Tomoyo followed his gaze to the maternity section, to a turtleneck, ankle-length, long-sleeved black dress, and then she glared at him, eyes flashing dangerously.

"_That_ one?" she repeated. "The one that covers more than a nun's habit?"

"Um… yeah?"

"Thank you for your help, Hiirgizawa-san—" He winced again. "—but my date starts in an hour and since all the dresses I've tried on today look so _hideous_ on me, I think I have to bid you _goodbye_."

Her voice, altogether too venomous for his sweet Tomoyo, made him feel like that biggest asshole on the planet. _'Which you just about **are**,' _his subconscious reminded him.

"T-Tomoyo-chan, wait—"

"_What_?"

"I—I—"

"Good_bye_, Hiirgizawa-san."

'_Fuck.'_

--

Tomoyo was crying and she hated herself for it. But there's really only so much bashing a girl's self-esteem can take in one day.

Every single dress had been met by a snide little remark or a disdainfully raised eyebrow. She had never felt so demeaned, so despised, so utterly repulsive in her whole life. And to be made to feel that way by the one person who she… who she thought was…

She tried, to no avail, to quell the sick twisting feeling in the pit of her stomach. He'd never been like that before. Always a little protective, in that infuriating big brother sort of way, but it was always sweet how much he cared. This time though…

She got up and dried her tears angrily, then inspected her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were a little red and puffy, but that would abate after a little time, a shower and some concealer. And her unsettled hair could easily be fixed.

Tomoyo strode over to her closet and picked out a particular dress. It was royal blue satin, tapered with gold, with a low neckline and a skirt that flared around her hips. She'd worn it only once before to a dance, last year, when Eriol had said that since neither of them had anyone they especially wanted to go with, that they'd go together. She had made this dress, in his favourite colour, with him specifically in mind. When he'd come to pick her up, he had been astonished, enchanted, admiring, had waxed poetic about her "midnight beauty" and "ravishing charm".

Later that night, as they danced the last dance together, he had made her promise that she would never wear this dress for anyone else. She had acquiesced, telling him that it was all his, _only his_. She'd break that promise today. He didn't deserve her loyalty right now… not after that comment about Kaho.

Tomoyo smiled humourlessly at this inadequate revenge. Like he would know. Like he cared.

The next hour passed in a blur of showering, hair, makeup and accessorizing. At 3:45, one of her bodyguards announced that someone was at the door to see her. She descended the stairs, smiling widely and mostly genuinely.

Instead of Rai, Eriol stood there, shifting nervously.

"Oh," she stated, flatly. "It's you."

He gasped. "T-Tomoyo—"

"If you're here to apologize, there's no need. It's fine." Her contemptuous expression attested, rather nicely, she thought, to the fact that she did _not_ care what he thought of her looks.

"Tomoyo… Tomoyo-san…" Apparently that was all he seemed capable of saying.

"Tomoyo-koi!" interrupted another voice. Rai stood in the doorway, staring at Tomoyo appreciatively. "You look stunning. No, you look better than stunning. There aren't even words to describe how _good_ you look. That's an awesome dress!"

Now _that_ was the reaction she'd been going for. "Thank you, Rai-chan." She gestured at her dress and threw a pointed look at Eriol. "This old thing? It's nothing _special_."

Rai seemed to notice Eriol for the first time. "Hiirgizawa-san," he said, looking from him to Tomoyo anxiously. "I didn't realize—"

"Oh, no, Rai-chan, it's nothing like that. Eriol-kun was just here to drop something off. Weren't you, Eriol-kun?"

"Er…" he said stupidly, still staring at Tomoyo. "I…er…what?… um… yes…"

"Shall we go, then, Tomoyo-koi?"

"Yes, let's."

Tomoyo brushed past Eriol, and then they were gone.

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End file.
